Method of creasing fabrics and forming a visible topping line in knitted hosiery



Sept 3, 1940. R. E. SSSSSSS ER .2,213,791

METH D F NG A VISIBLE Patented Sept. 3, 1940 UNITED STATES i METHOD OF CREASING FABRICS AND FORMING A VISIBLE TOPPING LINE IN KNITTED HOSIERY Robert E. Claussner, Paducah, Ky., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Claumac Company, Inc., Dover, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application December 23, 1939, Serial No. 310,705

14 Claims.

The present invention relates broadly to a method of, and an instrument for, creasing textile fabrics along a predetermined line and, further, specifically relates to the forming of a visible topping line upon knitted hosiery so as to facilitate the topping of the hosiery upon the bank of needles of a knitting machine.

Knitted hosiery is now being placed upon the market which is manufactured in accordance with United States Patent No. 2,157,116, utilizing yarn composed of synthetic polyamide fibers, in place of the usual natural silk yarn or various types of rayon yarns. Knitted yarn composed of synthetic polyamide bers has the inherent characteristic of being capable of having its loops set in a crimped shape when subjected to a heat treatment in the presence of steam.

In relation to silk hosiery, the silk yarns thereof have a coating of sericin, which is a wax-like substance capable of being softened or partially melted in the presence of heat, and capable of immediately rehardening when removed from the influence of heat.

I have discovered that the above mentioned properties of synthetic polyamide yarns and natural silk yarns can be utilized to facilitate the creasing, along a restricted line, of fabrics knitted from said yarns and, further, for `providing a visible topping line in hosiery knitted from said yarns for facilitating the machine topping operations.

The primary objectl of the invention is to facilitate the creasing of fabrics along a restricted line, and expanding or distorting rows of knitted loops out of their normal shape and size, and setting the same, to form a visible "topping line.

Another object of the invention resides in a design of instrument that will subject a single row of loops, or a relatively few adjacent interconnected rows of knitted loops, to concentrated pressure in the presence of heat so as tol set the rows of loops in such a manner as to provide a visible line, to expedite the topping operation, or to form a crease.

Another feature of the invention resides in the forming of a permanent visible topping line in hosiery knitted from synthetic polyamide yarn.

With these and other objects in view, the invention will be better understood from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a perspective illustrating my improved method;

(Cl. (i6-1) Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the instrument used in performing the method;

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic representation of the lower portion of a stocking leg blank indicating the topping lines formed therein; in accordance with the invention.

As is well known in the art, the greater portion of hosiery manufactured today is knitted upon two machines-one known as the legger", and the other known as the footer. To accomplish this two-machine operation in the knitting of hosiery, it ,is necessary that the leg blank be knitted on the legger machine and then transferred and topped onto the bank of needles of the footer machine for the knitting of the foot blank. To facilitate such an operation, a course of loops of the instep portion of the leg fabric, and a row of loops of each of the heel tabs are brought into alignment with each other, and these loops are topped onto the needles of the footer machine.

To aid the operator in the transferring of these rows of loops, there is provided, by my method, a visible topping line along the rows of loops, and this is effectively accomplished by subjecting the rows of loops to a simultaneous action of pressure and heat, the .pressure some-y what spreading the loops and the heat permitting the setting of the spread condition of the loops.

I have found from actual experience that the steps of my improved method may be efliciently carried out by an instrument, illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing, which consists of an electrically heated unit 2, having one of its ends 3 tapered to a ne point 4 of a size to engage only a single row of loops, or not more than a relatively few adjacent rows of loops, so as to form a relatively fine topping or creasing line. The remaining end of the unit is seated in a handle 5 through which passes an electrical conductor 6 for attachment to the heating element. This conductor 6 has attached thereto a plug for attachment to the usual electric circuit. The heating element may be of any well known construction on the market, involving the usual metallic casing and an electric resistance coil enclosed within the casing.

In carrying out the steps of my improved method, the heating unit is heated to a temperature above 100 centigrade, and the point 4 is applied to a row of loops, and forced along said row of loops as indicated in Figure l of the drawing. Thus the row of loops is simultaneously subjected to pressure and heat, the prespoint of the instrument may be moved along the` rows of loops and the course of loops, subjecting all the loops to the simultaneous action of pressure and heat.

My invention is particularly adapted for the forming of a topping line in hosiery knitted from synthetic polyamide yarns, as such yarns react readily to pressure and heat for the fixing of'the changed shape and size of .the loops, for the production of a visible topping line.

I have found that my invention is adaptab to hosiery knitted of natural silk yarns in that the sericin content of the silk yarns maybe utilized for fixing the permanent shape of the rows of loops, and providing a' visible topping line.

I further wish it to be understood that it is within the scope of my invention to utilize the same in the creasing of piece goods fabric fabricated by a weaving, knitting, or lace-making operation, as the invention broadly covers the application of a concentrated pressure along a iine` line in the presence of heat, for the production of a visible line facilitating a creasing operation or the topping of fabric on the operating instrumentalities of a fabricating machine.

Having ,described my invention, what I claim 1. A method of forming a visible topping line in a. knitted stocking fabricated of synthetic polyamide fibers, which consists in-applying pressure along a restricted number of paralieling rows of loops and, simultaneously therewith. subjecting the rows of loops to heat of a predetermined degree.

2. A method of forming a visible topping line in a knitted stocking fabricated of synthetic polyamide, fibers, which consists in applying pressure along a restricted number of paralieling rows of loops and, simultaneously therewith. subjecting the rows of loops to heat of a degree above 100 centigrade.

3. A method of forming a topping line in knitted hosiery, which consists in providing a pointed heated element and applying the point, I

under pressure, along a predetermined row of loops of the knitted hosiery.

4. A method of forming a topping line in knitted hosiery, which consists in providing a pointed heated element and applying the point,- under pressure, along a predetermined course of loops of the knitted hosiery.

5. A method of forming a topping line in imitted hosiery fabricated of synthetic polyamide fibr s, which consists in providing a pointed heated element and applying the point, under pressure, along a predetermined row of loops of the knitted hosiery.

6. A method of forming a topping line in knitted hosiery fabricated of synthetic polyamide bers, which consists in providing a pointed heated element and applying the point, under pressure, along a predetermined course of loops of the knitted hosiery.

7. A method of knitting hosiery and providing a visible topping line therein, which consists in knitting the hosiery of synthetic polyamide bers, and subjecting a row of loops of the hosiery to pressure in the presence of heat.

8. Themethod of forming a topping line in, knitted hosiery, which consists in pressing the loops of a row out of their normal shape and size, and permanently setting the distorted loops by the application of heat.

9. The method of forming a topping line in knitted hosiery fabricated of synthetic polyamide fibers, which consists in forcing the loops of a iow out of their normal shape and size, and permanently setting the distorted loops by the application of heat.

10. A method of boning full-fashioned hosiery fabric constructed from artiiicial yarn on the type commercially known as Nylon which comprises exerting a wedging force between adjacent wales and simultaneously applying heat thereto at substantially normal ironing temperatures.

11. The method of manufacturing a knitted fabric of synthetic polyamide fibers, comprising forming a visible line in said fabric by applying pressure along a restricted number of paralieling rows of loopsand simultaneously therewith, subjecting the rows of loops to heat of a predetermined degree. l

12. The method of,D manufacturing a knitted fabric, comprising forming a visible line in said fabric by providing a pointed heated element, and applying the point under pressure along a predetermined row of loops of the knitted fabric.

13. The method of manufacturing a knitted fabric, comprising forming a visible iline in said fabric by pressing the loops of a predetermined number of rows out of their normal shape and size and permanently setting the distorted loops by the application of heat.

14. The` method of manufacturing a knitted fabric of synthetic polyamide fibers, comprising forming a visible line in said fabric by pressing out of their normal size and shape the loops of a predetermined number of rows and permanently setting the shape of the distorted loops by the application of a predetermined degree of heat. ROBERT E. CLAUSSNER. 

